CEDAR CITY, Utah – The University of North Dakota softball team fell to Southern Utah in a doubleheader by a score of 10-2 in both games on Friday afternoon.

North Dakota had a total of 10 hits on the day, getting four in the first game and six in the nightcap. However, UND only scored four runs on the 10 hits, leaving a total of 15 runners on base during the two games.

“The difference today was that one team made the plays they needed to and to the other did not,” head coach Eric Oakley said.

Sophomore Emily Bell led UND with three hits in five at-bats (.600). Bell hit one double and had four total bases, but was unable to score a run on the day.

Courtney Gonzales went .500 in the double header, hitting one double, scoring one run and recording one RBI. Fellow senior Caralyn Chewning also hit one double, getting two hits in five at-bats (.400), while also recording one RBI.

In the circle, Chewning started the second game for UND, pitching 4.2 innings and striking out two SUU batters. Freshman pitcher Kaylin VanDomelen started the first game, throwing three innings before Taylor Hansen came in for relief.

Southern Utah posted a 7-0 lead through the first three innings of the first game. In the top of the fourth, UND posted a pair of runs behind hits by Gonzales and Nicole Babrowski. However, the Thunderbirds went on to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the game 10-2.

In the second game, North Dakota got on the board first after a single by Chewning scored Babrowski from third. Southern Utah responded with two runs to take the lead in the bottom of the first, before extending its lead with five runs in the bottom of the second. North Dakota posted a lone run in the fourth inning when a single by D Janzter scored Gonzales. SUU then scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 9-2 lead, and a lone run in the bottom of the fifth gave the Thunderbirds the 10-2 win again.